Washboard.



JAMES T. SARGENT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

WASHBOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1907.

Application filed October 2'7, 1905. Serial No- 284.670.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES T. SARGENT, residing at Cleveland, in thecounty of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, a citizen of the United States,have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements inWashboards, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements inwashboards. In other applications filed of even date herewith I havedescribed and claimed certain improvements in washboards involving theemployment of a brand board and protector preferably formed of metal, asoap ledge integral with or secured to the brand board and a drainagecurtain extending from the brand board under the soap ledge or shelf tothe upper end of the rubbing face, whereby the drainage of soapy water,etc. is directed down upon the rubbing face. Such disposal of thedrainage is contrary to that heretofore customary in the art, asheretofore the drainage from the soap and the water splashing into thebrand board space, has been directed to the back of the washboard bydrainage ports or openings arranged above the upper cross piece.

The invention described herein has for its object a construction whereinthe protector is so arranged as to extend from the upper end of thewashboard to such a point with reference to the rubbing face that thewater splashing into the brand board space is directed by the brandboard onto the rubbing face. The soap shelf or support is arranged onthe brand board in such manner that drainage from the soap restingthereon will flow down onto the rubbing face.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification Figure1 is a front elevation of the upper portion of a washboard having myimprovements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on a lineindicated by the line IIII Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1showing a foldable protector mounted on the brand board and the brandboard and protector reversible from side to side of the washboard; Fig.4 is a sectional view on a plane indicated by the line IVIV Fig. 3; Fig.5 is a sectional view on a plane indicated by the line VV Fig. 3,looking upwards toward the head piece and protector; Fig. 6 is a frontelevation of a portion of a washboard illustrating a modification of themanner of securing. the brand board, protector and soap ledge of thewashboard;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on a plane indicated. by the line VII-VIIFig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view illustrating a form oflock of the upper portion of the reversible brand board, etc.

In the practice of my invention the washboard, as regards the legs 1,head piece 2, cross bar 3, rubbing face 4, and back board 5, isconstructed in the usual or any suitable manner. The brand board 6,which is preferably formed of metal although other material may be used,is arranged in the space between the head piece 2 and cross bar 3 at anangle to the edges of the legs and preferably extends from the rear edgeof the head piece to a point in front of the upper cross bar 3 andpreferably a little below its upper edge.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the side edges ofthe brand board project into grooves or rabbets formed in the innerwalls of the legs and when the brand board is formed of metal, it ispreferred that such side edges should be turned up slightly as at 7, soas to form a gutter in connection with the body of the brand boardproper to permit water to escape from the grooves, thus preventing theabsorption of water by the legs.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the protector 8 is formedintegral with the upper end of the brand board, but such protector maybe pivotally mounted upon the brand board as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5,so as to be capable of being folded down onto the brand board forshipment and storage. When a pivoted protector is employed it ispreferred that a spring 9 should be so connected to the brand board andprotector as to normally hold the protector in operative position asshown in Fig. 4. It it also preferred that the soap ledge 10 should beformed integral with the lower end of the brand board, and said ledge orshelf provided with slots or openings therethrough for the flow of waterfrom the soap resting on the ledge or any water splashing up against thebrand board.

It will be readily seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 4 that with thebrand board arranged as described and shown, all drainage will flowdown'onto the rubbing face and can therefore be utilized in washing.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 my improved con .struction can beapplied to double faced washboards.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 diagonal grooves 11 and 12are formed in the inner walls of the legs of the washboard and extendfrom one edge of the legs adjacent to the head piece to the oppositeedge at points below the upper cross bar 3; In this construction thebrand board, protector and soap ledge can be shifted from operativeposition above one rubbing face to operative position above the otherface by sliding vertically in the grooves.

In lieu of supporting the combined brand board, protector and soap shelfby means of grooves in the inner walls of the legs, thus necessitatingthe vertical sliding of said parts, they may be supported in any othersuitablemanner, as for example that shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. In thisconstruction a hook 13 is secured to the back of the brand board, itbeing so shaped and located as to engage the upper edge of the uppercross bar An upper fastening device is provided which may consist of aspring finger 14 mounted in a groove in the underside of the head pieceand adapted: to project down and engage the protector and brand board.In this construction the brand board, etc, can

be'inserted and removed laterally into the space between the head pieceand the cross bar.

It is characteristic of my invention that the wash board, except asregards the brand board, protector, soap ledge and drainage curtain isconstructed in the usual manner. The head piece, upper cross bar andupper portions of the side bars or legs form a peripherally closed spacein which the imperforate brand board is placed.

I claim herein as my invention:

1. A washboard having a peripherally inclosed brand hoard space, animperforate brand board having its lower edge in front of the plane ofthe upper cross bar and a soap ledge-or shelf at the lower edge of thebrand board and projecting out over the rubbing face, and provided withperforations so located that drainage will flow over. 1

the rubbing face.

2. A washboard having a peripherally inclosed brand board space andhaving in combination therewith an imperforate 'brand board having asoap ledge or shelf forlned'integral therewith, the brand board andperforated soap ledge being so arranged that the shelf will be in frontof and a little below the upper edge of the upper cross bar.

3. A washboard having a peripherally inclosed brand board space, andhaving in combination therewith an imperforate brand board, a protectorand perforated soap ledge carried by the brand board, the ledge beingarranged at thelower edge of the brand board and projecting out over therubbing face and the brand board extending down to and having its loweredge in front of the plane of the upper cross bar. v

4. A double-faced washboard having in combination therewith a brandboard carrying a protector and soap shelf said parts being reversiblefrom operative relation to one rubbing-face to operative relation to theother face.

the brand board in both positions extending to and having its lower edgein front of the upper cross-bar.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES 'l. SARGENT.

Witnesses Gno. H. HASTINGS, M. -E. BICGRAW.

